Mortgage guides written to actually teach.
Real strategies, real numbers, real programs. Each guide walks through a specific scenario so you know exactly what to expect, what you qualify for, and what to watch out for. Written and maintained by Mark Dankman.
The Mortgage Roadmap
From first call to front door in 6 clear steps. What happens, when it happens, and what your job is at every stage.
First-Time Homebuyer Guide
FHA, conventional, VA, and down payment assistance. The full step-by-step from pre-approval to keys, with the mistakes most buyers make along the way.
Self-Employed Mortgage Guide
Bank statement loans, 1099 programs, P&L only, and asset depletion. Real options when your tax returns don't reflect what you actually earn.
VA Home Loan Guide
0% down, no monthly mortgage insurance, and rates that beat conventional. Eligibility, entitlement, funding fees, IRRRL, and VA jumbo, in plain English.
Mortgage Refinance Guide
Rate-and-term, cash-out, and streamline refis. When the break-even math actually works, and when a refi quietly costs you money.
Jumbo Loan Guide
High-balance and true jumbo financing across the Bay Area. Reserves, rate buckets, interest-only, and how a $2M+ file actually gets underwritten.
Investor & DSCR Loan Guide
DSCR, portfolio, and short-term rental financing. How lenders underwrite the property instead of your tax returns, and where the traps are.
Home Equity Access Guide
HELOC, HELOAN, cash-out refinance, and reverse mortgages. How to pull equity without giving up a low first-mortgage rate.
Manufactured & Mobile Home Loan Guide
Real financing for manufactured and modular homes. Land-and-home, chattel, FHA Title I and II, and what disqualifies most homes before you make an offer.